Published on: 2026-08-27
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
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Chairwoman of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko and Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg Alexander Belsky visited School No. 537 in the Moskovsky District, for which Polytech developed laboratory equipment — a robotic platform that allows work at the intersection of chemistry, physics, engineering, and computer science.
The main topic of the meeting was the city’s achievements in implementing the “10 Priorities for the Development of Saint Petersburg until 2030” program, where one of the key areas is “All Opportunities — for Children.” A clear example of this was the new building of school No. 537, constructed according to the “Petersburg standard” and transferred to the city by the developer free of charge. The building, designed for 1,150 places, includes two swimming pools, two gyms with a climbing wall, modern laboratories, a media studio, the “Infinity” digital education center, and a salt room. The school, with a 60-year history, received a new impetus for development, and in the next academic year, pre-specialization and specialization classes in engineering and natural sciences will be opened here.
The Speaker of the Federation Council visited a school classroom equipped with robotic platforms designed for tasks in chemistry, physics, and computer science, created at the Research and Educational Center (REC) “Nanotechnologies and Coatings” at SPbPU by a team of scientists, engineers, and students under the leadership of the Head of the Department of “Applied Chemistry,” Alexander Semenchy. The equipment was developed specifically to integrate school and university education and to foster engineering thinking among schoolchildren.
The three-coordinate robotic platform with additional modules is designed for scientific, industrial, and educational purposes. Customized software shells allow performing a variety of tasks: sorting objects using machine vision, spectral object recognition, dosing of liquid and highly viscous media, mixing of chemical substances, and more.
A training and methodological complex has been specially developed for the school platform, thanks to which students will learn how to assemble robots, program them, and use them. This approach allows future chemical technologists or experimental physicists to become acquainted with modern industrial automation tools, providing students with an instrument for the prompt and high-quality solution of tasks. Essentially, a digital robotic laboratory has been created that enables the implementation of the full range of tasks faced by a modern engineering technologist.
According to Valentina Matvienko, this is a unique modern project that has created all the conditions for educating children and providing additional education.
It is important that the school will cooperate with the Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, so that children from the school bench will receive career guidance and consciously choose engineering and technical specialties, — noted the Speaker of the Federation Council.
Valentina Matviyenko thanked the government of Saint Petersburg, the governor, and the deputies of the Legislative Assembly for the great attention given to supporting education in the city.
The city has always been and remains a leader in this area, and we need to maintain the standard and move forward. It is very important that the authorities have promptly addressed the issues of social infrastructure. Today, we can talk about comprehensive development of the territory, where not only housing is being constructed but also everything necessary for residents: clinics, schools, kindergartens, sports facilities. This creates a comfortable living environment, and such a policy in Saint Petersburg needs to be supported and developed,
“We have a consistent program for improving the education system — from kindergartens to schools, — noted Alexander Belsky. — As you saw today, this school collaborates with the Polytechnic University. Additionally, we have programs with the city’s universities and industrial enterprises. We want the child to grow, gradually determine their direction, choose a profession and industry available in St. Petersburg, and stay here. Our schools are fully equipped for this—laboratories, workshops, studios for creative development.
Senior students and graduate students of SPbPU are planned to be involved in teaching. This approach will help schoolchildren adapt to the university approach to solving project tasks.
Photo: assembly.spb.ru
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